Wells, the Sun's home affairs correspondent and reporter Millard face charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Sun night news editor Malinsky and former Daily Mirror journalist Brough are also charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.

Brough was working for the Daily Mirror at the time of the alleged offence but left in June 2010.

The three journalists will next appear the the Old Bailey on July 25 to enter their pleas.

Former MPS staff member Rosemary Collier, 38, customs officer Reggie Nunkoo, 40, and security worker Mark Blake, 41, are accused of leaking information to the newspapers and will enter their pleas alongside the reporters.

They all face charges of misconduct in public office over a five-year period between 2006 and 2011.

It is expected they will face trial at the Old Bailey at the end of February or early March 2015.

Met police officers Sam Azouelos, 34, and Timothy Edwards, 48, will enter their pleas to misconduct charges on May 30 this year.

Former Surrey police constable Simon Quinn, 42, will enter his plea on May 9.

Blake, of Gosling Road, Slough, Berks, Wells, of Broxholm Road, Tulse Hill, southeast London, Collier, of Cove, Tiverton, Devon, Millard, of Hook Hill, South Croydon, Nunkoo, of Lynmouth Road, Walthamstow, east London, Azouelos, of Finchley, Brough, of Grosvenor Avenue, Mortlake, southwest London, and Malinsky, of Deepdale Close, New Southgate, north London, were all released on bail.